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= THE GLASS FACTORY. =
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#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
##¶#£=†~-¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨-~†=£#¶##
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
##¶#£=†~-¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨-~†=£#¶##
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
##¶#£=†~-¨ ¨-~†=£#¶##
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
##¶#£=†~-¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨-~†=£#¶##
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
##¶#£=†~-¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨-~†=£#¶##
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ BECOME STILL. ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ == == ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
##¶#£=†~-¨ ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ ¨-~†=£#¶##
#¶#£=†~-¨¨ == == ¨¨-~†=£#¶#
¶#£=†~-¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨-~†=£#¶
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-
~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~
†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†
=†~-¨¨¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨¨¨-~†=
£=†~-¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨-~†=£
#£=†~-¨¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨¨-~†=£#
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